Jane, as in Fonda and David, as in Suzuki are having a great day. As CTVnews reports, they are rejoicing in a rally “aimed at bringing attention to climate change, employment and justice issues in Canada”, also known as the “climate rally.”

In case you were unaware, the people on this continent need some reminding, especially by “do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do” artists, like Jane or David. The news report also says “The rally will consist of a rare coalition of non-profit organizations and activist groups, including a variety [of] labour unions, Greenpeace, Idle No More and religious organizations.”

Non-Profit Organizations

There are plenty of “Non-Profit Organizations” (NPOs). Actually my dearest thinks that I run one too and I think she’s right. Though not by design, I clearly fail to keep up with all of the jetting-setting around world by the high flyers. Don’t even have an ocean-front abode near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or a 1,000+ acre ranch near Santa Fe which Jane and David are accustomed too—should I feel deprived?

Now, let’s go on to some of the other notables mentioned. To begin with, there is a young lady with beaded band across her forehead, standing right beside Jane. Who is she? Not even a Google image search could help me to identify her. So, I’m unsure as to who is supporting whom in this photo-op. If I had to take a guess, the young woman is representing the Idle No More movement.

Idle No More

As far as I can reckon, Idle No More is a loose organisation of people from various indigenous tribes on the continent. They have settlements all across Canada and the U.S. and it is certainly true that many of their members, especially those in the coming generation are lacking meaningful jobs and the income to have a fulfilled life. The unemployment rate of their young adults is pitifully high, just like those of the countries in the southern European tier, 50% or higher. No country can sustain such a situation for long before major problems arise. The big question is “what’s the cause and what’s the consequence?”

However, the unfortunate truth is that exactly those people are often falling victim to the false claims by folks like “Jane and David”—to their own detriment. Just like the steam engine, considered to be one of mankind’s great inventions a couple centuries ago (and rightly so), it’s time to get into the 21st century. If you desire a motorboat, an ATV or other engine-powered craft, then living “off-the land” like your forefathers did, may not be a real choice. Placards, banners or demonstrations alone are not likely to change that, neither for the “religious organizations.”

Religious Organizations

The news article was not clear as to whom or what it meant with that grouping. So, just for arguments’ sake, let me assume that it includes Christian organizations.

As you may know, Pope Francis, supreme leader of the Catholic Church, just released the encyclical “Laudato Si” that calls for a massive “decarbonisation” of the world’s energy consumption. Instead, it fosters renewable energy to replace fossil fuels (coal, oil natural gas) in the next decades to come. The problem with that is that renewables just can’t keep up with the energy demand. In fact, the share of renewable energy in the “energy mix” is actually declining when you look at the details. Such details include Britain’s end to wind-power subsidies, Germany’s increased use of coal for electric power generation, other European countries’ new nuclear power plants (including those under construction), India’s and China’s new coal-fired power plants that are being built at a rate of nearly one per week, the true percentage of “solar” energy delivered that is actually 50% fossil (like at the Ivanpah plant) and so on.

Celebrities like Jane, pastors and others just don’t understand the orders of magnitude of energy required to keep you comfortable during the seasons’ climate extremes, commute to work or go shopping at the mall.

Fossil fuels have propelled mankind to hitherto unfathomable productivity and longevity. Denying their use would put us right back to the times of Moses.

Image Courtesy of CTV News - Actor and activist Jane Fonda is in Toronto to support a rally aimed at bringing attention to climate change, employment and justice issues in Canada.